West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-01-27
DIR. TALMAGE.
THE~BRooKLYN DIvINE's SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject of Discourse: "A Split The
ology."

never on GOODWIN Sands, or the Skerris
or cape HatteraS was n ship in worse pre-
dicament than in the Mediterranean hurri-
cane was the grain ship with 276 passengers
driven on the coast OF Malta, or Melita five
miles from the metropolis OF that island,
caIed Cltta Necchia After two weeks OF
tempest, and the ship was entirely disabled
and the Captain and crew were completely
uemoraliZed an old missionary took COM
mand OF the vessel He was small
Grooked-hack and ,sore-eyed, accord
ing 10 tradition lt was Paul the
only uns AIRED man on boprd. He was no
more atrai Of a euroclydon that could toss
the Medlterranean sea TO the gates OF Hea-
ven, aud then sink il TO the gates of hell, than
ne waS afraid OF a kitten PLAYING with a
string He orders them all down 10 take
thelr rattons, first asking blessing on their
food Then he insureS all tn air lives. prom
,slng lhem complete rescue, and so far from
losing their heads, they would not lose so
much Of the hair as you could cut Off with
one clip OF the scissors. Ave not n thread
oI u whether 1t were gray with age or gold
en- with youth; There shall not a hair fall
Iron from the read OF any OF you Realizing
tcat they would never be able TO reach the
desired haven, they make the sea on that
fourteenth night black with the overth-own
cargo. so that when that vessel does strike
the ground II may not strike heavily In the
early dawn they see a creek and they resolve
70 make for it. They cut the cables. take in
the paddles which were on the side
of those old boats and lift the main
san SO that the vessel may be driven with
great speed, and perhaps on the ton of some
fortunate billow be lifted high aud dry upon
the beach. There she goes tumbline toward
the rocks, sometimes PROV foremost. some
times stern foremost-now rolling over to
starboard, now rolling over TO larboard and
now great wave daShes over the decks and
~ seems as If the old craft had gone out OF
sight forever. But uD she comes and Paul
WIN ms arm around the mast stands
mere crying; AN is we'll; God hath given
LnHm Will -, a. 4. III
Crash! went the prov against the rocks:
win much force the mast falls Crash goes
the vessel, until the waves rush through from
sac 70 SIDE; She Tarts amidships, goes into
thousand fragments, aud 276 immortals
are precioitated into the sea Some OF
these passengers had been brought nm
on the seabeach and had learned TO swim.
anu with the chin little above the angry
wave ana with the stroke of both arms and
the propulsion Of both feet they started for
the shore and reached IT, But alas for the
others. They have never learned TO swim.
OF they nave been wounded by the falling OF
the mast, or the nervous shock was too great
Tor them, or they have been weakened by
long sea sickness. What is TO become
of themi Take that piece of rudder. A." saws.
naui TO one, and head for tie beach
lAhe mat fragment OF spar" saws Paul
70 another Take that table, take that image
or castor and Pollux, take that fragment of
nieboat, take anything Put for the beach -
On what struggle in the breakers. or tho
mercllt s. waters that dash clear over these
poor creatures. Hold on there Almcyt
ashore Keep your couraoe M
remember what Paul told YOU. Here
they come in, a whole family. As the
wave recedes 1t leaves them in the sand on
ia bea h. Here comes in the Cantiirion ON n
splinter of the spar. Here comes in n miami
Helghted with whole crowd OF immor
tals Now they are all in | think Yes.
the last one cones in, Paul for he has been
overseeing all the rest and as he clambe
a ef1rfa nA ~
from ms gray beard, he cries: "Thank God
al are mere. They gather around the fire
Tor the Bible says Paul built a fire. and the
bundle OF sticks begin to crackle, and the
passengers begin 70 recover from the chill
and their wet clothes begin to dry, and
warmth and health seem TO be coming back
INTO the bodies OF these passengers. Now let
the Du'ser OF the ship go around and see il
any OF these poor creatures are missing
Count them all up, beginning one, two three
ana on TO 100, and then on to 200, and then on
10 go, untll You have counted them all Sec
all are here-256 What a relief il is as /
read tine account: Some on broken pieces
OF the ship. And so it came TO pass that thew
escaped all safe TO land
In previous discourse / examined some OF
THESE passengers, but to-day l confine nv
nttention more especially to those who came
IN on broken pie es Of the shin There is
something about them that eVcites In me an
intense interest. have not so much interest
IN thOse who could swim. They got ashore [
knew they would. mile of water is
NOT very great pull for strong
swimmer; nor are two miles But those
who were on the broken pieces OF the shin.
1 cannot stop thinking Of them The great
gospel ship is the finest vessel that was ever
launched and can carry more passengers
than any snip that was ever constructed, and
you could no more wreck II than YOU could
wreck the throne OF God Almig ty wish
all the eople would come on board her.
efpula not promise them smooth sailing all
the way Tor sometimes it will be tenn
.pestuous and a choDped sea; but / do
promise safe arrival 20 all who
come on board this Great Eastern-called so
~ me because its commander came out OF
ths East. aud the star Of the East was tho
badge o. his author ty But there Is a vast
multitude VIII do not take regular passage.
Somehow their Theology Is ali br ken into
pieces. or their life is all broken into pieces
or their worldly or spiritual prospe t. are
broken into pie o. and vet hope that thew
viii core 60 the shining shore for 1 am en-
eouraged by thu experience OF these people
ship
One 90 ect in preaching this sermon Il to
encourage those who. while they do not
adopt All our systems Of religion. neverthe-
less believe some one % ny ani / want them
70 come IN on that plank 'Bome on broken
pieces Of the hip" There is a vast multitude
OF peon'e who arc kent out Of the kingdom
OF God because they cannot believe
everything. / know men who are running
their souls because they cannot make IN the
minds who Melchi lice was not on the non
essentials OF religion " e~ki1e their imuor-
tal hopes do not underra'e the value Of
great thsol gical system, but whore in the
Bible does 10 say: "B lieve En- John Calvin
and thou shalt be saved p or. believe Ina Ar.
MENU and thou shalt be saved - or. believe
On the Ibirtv-nine articles AMI tboi sbsif bt
saved man may be orthodox and 20 10
heH. or heterJdOy aud 70 20 heaven Take
Jesus Chri into the deeJ affection Of our
eoul and we ne saved Refuse To take Him
into the deep afe ton Of ou- soul and we
are lost b'l eve in the n ideIbargb
Cate hisu and the Westminster Caterhigm.
and wish you an an. but Won
may believe nothing they contain eKcspt
that 'hri came ~ save snue.a md
lnHt you are one of them anil You win be rea-
cued li you cannot come iu on "a great shin
gust md a pie of wood al long a. the A.
man BODY. Cr piece n wood a. vide a. the
outspread human arms aud % you find that
gther piece .s a p'sce o. the cross come fn on
ship
r., 60 talking with a man about bis soul
tle mas recently been travelling fu New Fnv.
land and be- stopped over nizht az Apdoyer
Pc saws 20 me. "Idou't become Cbri4ttao
- ause don't think that q mans fate r. ir.
feFp'aply fixed in This world 7 th nix there
sncn thing ns repentance after
death 'My BROTHER II cav H. btr
what iq ON that On you DO not
you realize that man who. in TIE
mop tat there nav De- chance % Ter Heath.
KiFe+ un good chance before death 4. "A
.arE iooi' DO mt you realize DO is imbeeility
Jan NAT D.. thrown hiu before death BE-.
rals. be- nrrr. fhrr4 rrfr F.- Ir.... o.. 49,. ~